Percussion
by Tripenguinman
Summary: New enemies arise as Fireheart races to protect his friends and clan from an unknown, and the enemy maybe closer than anyone knows. Rated T for violence and some sexual reference.


My first "Warriors" fic. Please read, review, and enjoy. It's been awhile since I've read the first few books so I'm a little rusty.

PERCUSSION

CHAPTER ONE: OLD FRIENDS, NEW ENEMIES

Fireheart sat with a sour look and quickly went to cleaning his paw as Graystripe emerged from the bracken and brush. He looked out of the corner of his eye as he cleaned; pretending to be nonchalant was hard when it came to Graystripe because of his fear and disappointment for and of his friend. Graystripe sighed, knowing this routine by heart and it never changed.

"No Fireheart." He said.

"No what?" Fireheart asked, looking up.

"You know what I'm talking about. Can't we ever meet as friends?" Graystripe sighed, cocking his head.

"We are." Fireheart said, returning the cock.

"Then why do we only sit and argue about my affairs every week? I'm not coming back."

Fireheart rolled his eyes and sighed. He never could convince Graystripe to return, despite every method. His friend was very stubborn. He stopped his act and looked his friend in the eyes. Graystripe stared back and there was a moment of silence.

"How're things with-…" Fireheart trailed off, he could never remember her name… the one who'd stolen his friend…

"She's fine," Graystripe meowed. "Things are fine. Planning on a mate?"

"In time."

"I see."

"What do you see?"

"Nothing."

"Uh-huh." Fireheart said narrowing his eyes.

Graystripe sighed. "You know, friends should be able to talk about anything and not be ashamed or suspicious. You're always defensive about things among your clan."

"I wouldn't think you would care." Fireheart scoffed.

"Look," Graystripe stated. "Until we can meet and talk as friends and leave the whole business of my mate and my old clan behind, we have no reason to meet."

Fireheart cocked his head then shook it. Graystripe was right. He was acting to stubbornly. Unless he wanted to continue putting off his friend he ought to start acting like a comrade.

"Very well," He meowed. "I'm sorry, I just… the clans falling apart and… it's not the same without you there."

"I know, things aren't the same." Graystripe sighed and bowed his head, then chuckled. "Remember when we were kittens? How much fun we use to have?"

"Yeah," Fireheart sighed at the memory. "I wish it didn't have to end."

"Things weren't so complicated then." Graystripe agreed. "But, life goes on."

"Yes… yes it does."

They had a moment of silence for their almost forgotten times. They both wished they'd never grown. Life had been carefree and they could play and romp around… the reminisce was broken by the change in light. They both looked through the trees and saw followed the light to where the setting sun was being covered by a cloud.

"We should go." Graystripe said reluctantly.

"Yes," Fireheart said. "Farewell for now."

"Stay safe."

And with that, the meeting ended and they both turned and slinked away into the bushes. It seemed like hours before Fireheart had made it twenty yards. He was thinking of all that he hated about the new life… nothing good had really sprouted. It had only been one thing leads to another.

His thoughts swirled about like the slow clouds above. It looked like rain. The sun was near setting. The moon was becoming brighter. Not a bad night. Rain soothed him. It was peaceful and it always made his nest feel cozy. He liked to watch it. He was beginning to lose track of where he was going in his thoughts when a ear-piercing screech erupted, just as the first drops began hitting the ground. His ears perked and he turned around. The scream had been behind him, exactly where he had come from. Blood-curdling and he knew its origin. Graystripe.

He bolted, like a rocket and crashed through the wet foliage and splashed through the puddles. The rain was hard but there was no thunder, only quick and silent flashes of lightning. His blood was roaring, his heart racing and every thought was a stab in his head. His eyes narrowed through the rain, he was panting. He felt something rip into his paw and he yowled and crashed into the mud.

It felt like his heart exploded as he hit the wet ground and as he slid to a stop, he could barely breathe. His front left paw was burning and stinging. It felt like a large point was inside it and as he looked at it through the rain, he could see his faint reflection in the glass shard. The ground was red-brown with mud and blood, as he limped toward the place of the scream. He felt like screaming himself at how slow he was and how fast he wanted to be. His friend could be dying and here he was blundering about in the rain!

After what seemed hours, he realized he was where they had met. But Graystripe and obviously gained some ground before whatever happened. He continued tumbling through the mud until he saw broken brush. He was close. And struggle. He turned his head against the rain and kept his eyes up to see below his waving fur. He stumbled and fell into the mud and when he opened his eyes, he saw some clumps of fur, impossible to tell what color or scent after the mud and rain, he continued plodding on.

The mud was over his paws and it was thick at the bottom and he dug through it with his claws. It felt as though if the mud sunk under him, he would sink into some world below the ground… and fall. Suddenly he saw his friend, just as his limp and bedraggled body was dropped into the mud with a splash. He straightened his neck and though the window tore at his head and ears and the rain soaked him to the bone, he looked into the eyes of the attacker. The cats-eyes looked back, a cloudy grayish-blue. A feminine touch was among the shroud in the eyes and he could faintly smell a female pheromone in the whip-like air. The eyes were narrowed as his were and he could see her cock her head as did he. She couldn't see well either.

He tried to take a step forward but stumbled. He heard a hiss and when he had rubbed the mud from his eyes and looked to her, he saw nothing. He quickly crawled to his friend. He was blood stained and red was pooling in the mud about him. Truthfully Fireheart had no idea weather his friend was breathing or not… he knew his own breath had caught in his own clenched throat, tight with anxiety as the first wave of pain ripped through him.


End file.
